Out of the Fire and into the ashes
by Jojoba83
Summary: Action/Adventure/Romance Hawke F all characters will make an appearance My first fan fiction so please be kind, set directly after the events of the end of DA2 so spoilers are very likely. Rated M for lee way, An attempt at a believable follow on from the original story, work very much in progress Please review, feedback is greatly appreciated! Bioware owns everything
1. Chapter 1

Dragon age Fanfiction,

Action/Adventure/Romance

Hawke (F) all characters will make an appearance

My first fan fiction so _please_ be kind (reviews critics), set directly after the events of the end of DA2 so spoilers are very likely. Rated M for lee way

An attempt at a believable follow on from the original story, work in progress

Please review, feedback is greatly appreciated!

**Chapter 1 – Out of the fire and into the ash**

Kirkwall was lost, the guard worked tirelessly to soothe the flames that ate at Lowtown, Darktown and parts of the docks. Down the narrow streets of Lowtown a woman clad in heavy armour hefted two great pales of water to the edge of a building that was ravaged by fire. The fire licked at the stone skin of it, and smoke billowed from the crumbled ashes of the dilapidated ruins that surrounded it, with many others she threw with all her might spilling the water up the building into the now broken windows. Great hoses were being fed with water, two burley men furiously handling the levers that pressurised the water up. It was all the people left could do after the fall of this towns hierarchy… they had little choice but to either flee and hope for another life somewhere new, or cling to a town that had been cursed, drowning in fire and ruin. The woman stopped to watch as she wearily trudged back for more water. The faces of people around her gave her little hope, she saw signs of the same weariness the same fear of the inescapable

_This town has seen too much destruction… _she thought to herself

Her usual robust and tireless attitude waned; words of encouragement and fervour that usually spilled through her were lost in a moment of brief hopelessness. What was there left for her to save, when so much had been utterly destroyed.

War was coming, this she knew as fact, she had felt it when the Grand cleric had fallen in an inferno, the death of both Orsino and Meredith would have only sped up the process of domination that was to come. Nothing so destructive would deserve less; the full power of the chantry would come crashing down on top of them. She could not see the good from saving the homes that would no longer be safe. When the time came for men to stand and fight who would defend the damning actions of few.

_We need more barracks, not homes. _Her hands dipped into the water of the well in turn for each pale and swiftly marched back moving faster than the tired men and women that still fought to save the homes that were quickly falling from the pressure of load bearing beams collapsing that had held them for so many years. As she neared the home once more the heat from the raging fire blossomed before her making her take a step back. She was about to call to the others to leave this home and move to somewhere that could still be saved, when her ears heard a faint and distant tapping through the roar of the flames. Her ears pricked and her eyes followed the sound like a bloodhound that had caught a scent, she scanned the shattered windows to see a single one still paned in glass, like a ghost through mist a slender white arm hammered against it urgently, and with the shift of smoke a slight boyish face appeared distorted with fear disappeared again amongst the clawing smoke.

"Oh Shit." Aveline swore surprised by her new found vehemence

She quickly dove to the ground to grab at a large rock that protruded from the earth and as she stood and pulled her arm back the face reappeared and its eyes widened with realisation his body finally dropping out of view, her mouth clenched in strain as she threw with every inch of her body aiming it at the centre of the glass. Releasing the rock it smashed against it, thousands of fragments of glass spilt down like falling diamonds as acrid smoke curled in urgency out. She could only hear the beating of her heart pounding in her chest, her breath barely more than a zephyr as she tried to calm herself, seconds passed like minutes until one black coal encrusted hand grabbed at the window ledge followed by the face desperately gasping at clean air.

Aveline ran to an abandoned crate and dragged it to the centre of the window above, few hand holds were below only a ledge that ran from window to window on the second floor. She stepped up onto it and tried to jump to the ledge, hands falling short she called to straggling recruit that had emptied his bucket and made back for more

"You!" the man stopped and turned "yes you, stop gawking get your arse over here" she snapped at him, his bewildered expression annoying her, dropping his cargo to the floor he ran over.

"I need a leg up recruit, hop up" he got on the crate mechanically, holding his hands in a cradle for her to step on, without complaint. She grabbed onto his shoulders and placed her foot in his hands, straightening her leg both hands searching the surface of the wall for a hand hold the ledge above frustratingly out of reach she wobbled as the recruit readjusted his footing

"Steady…" she said as she swayed one footed on his hands, "I need to be higher, final push come on." She said encouragingly finding more and more confidence in herself.

The sounds of obvious strain, as he grunted with effort came up to meet her, he lifted her feet higher "Almost there…" her fingers traced the outline of the wood, finding enough tread to allow a grip to hold her weight. Finally getting it she lifted enough to relieve the weight from the suffering recruit. Now hanging precariously from the ledge

_Why didn't I take off this maker forsaken armour ..._ She chided to herself as her feet clanged against the wall. Hot smoke assailed her as she pulled herself up, biting back stinging tears she struggled herself up to lift her elbows onto the ledge, her arms aching with strain. _ Come on Aveline the worst isn't over yet... _she thought as she struggled to get her hands into a position to lift the rest of her body up and over, arms wobbling with the tension of such a weak position she forced herself up, finally standing on the ledge she moved to the edge of the window using a useless beam next to it to get a higher footing. Wood splintered in her hands as she climbed, the ledge where the boys head hung over crookedly, hearing the rasping rattled breath she pushed on. Hand at long last grasping the ledge she needed and pushed again to come over the outcropping of wood. The boy pointlessly tried to help her by slightly tugging on the clip of her breastplate, following her over. Hearing the metal scrape on glass her ears sang with it cringing for a moment before coming to stand in the sweltering house. Now inside her ears stung in the heat and fetid air, her lungs burnt with a fit of coughing she bent over the window pushing the boys head further out, avoiding the broken glass still lodged in the sill. She moved with effort as violent coughing threatened to overtake her, unclipping her armour she swiftly removed it tossing the armour the two stories below.

"I should've done that before." She laughed sarcastically to herself more and more to her lack of planning.

A large groan shook the floor beneath, her mind began at that to race to what to do, _what on earth was I thinking? – _She muttered– _Too much of Hawkes influence _– a small voice tickled the back of her mind. Playing the Hero and risking lives over carefully laid plans and strategy was not her modus operandi , and here she was jumping head long into burning buildings without a thought to what squad of men would be there to support her.

The young boys hand clung at her undershirt, really looking at him she suppressed another coughing fit, he couldn't be any more than twelve, and was extremely thin and jaundiced. The urgency of this ill planned escape attempt heightened as she saw this, he was weak and the longer he spent up here the less likely it would be he would make it out of here alive.

She quickly ducked her head over him and out the window, looking to the side of the building she saw a balcony that was supported by two long vertical wooden columns, a ledge run from the window to the balcony railings. A quick plan formed, she ducked her head back in and grabbed the boy by the shoulders shaking him out of the daze that endangered him.

"Look at me lad." She said sternly, his eyes rolling in his sockets before looking loosely at her

"I said _**Look **_at me."

His eyes focused on her and with effort she tried to see past the fear that formed there, it fed into her own and she squashed it.

"I am going to climb over to the balcony and get us _**Both **_out of here, you need to get on my back and hold on as tight as you can. You can do that right?" He nodded weakly at her then, taking that she grabbed hold of him, his hands snaking around her shoulders limply clasped in front. She lifted him under his thighs and encouraged him to clasp them together to.

Stepping out she felt hope in his strength, as she felt his arms tighten. She ducked under the wooden beam above and turned to put herself in between the wall and the boy as she side stepped further away from the window. With a crash smoke billowed out of it peppered with hot glowing embers – _No time to waste the - _Shifting her weight from one foot to another she edged toward the balcony with each step she risked unbalancing and after this thought sped through her head her foot caught and her weight shifted, feeling the weight on her back all too keenly, her hands gripped the next hold that much tighter and arched forward, a slight whimper vibrating through her back as he buried his head in her red hair.

"It's Ok, it's ok." She reassured him, "What's your name son?" she asked trying to get his mind off their predicament.

"It's Daniel." He replied after a moment

"Im Ave..."

"Aveline." he said at the same time "You're the captain of the guard."

"Smart boy, yes I am"

Listening to the rumble of large beams falling to the lower floors one by one. Sweat now slick and cold against her neck and spine – _really I couldn't of thought of a better plan? – _Determination sculpting her face, she had brought this on herself and she would see whatever it will be through to her last breath, the balcony laid less than three feet away. Stoically moving on she inwardly cursed the builders of Kirkwall at such shoddy wooden inner structures.

Her foot touched the base of the balcony, and gingerly removing one hand she nudged the boys feet wrapped around her waist. The boy hooked his foot over the railing and with one hand he levered himself over, free of him she followed. Helping him limp over to the edge seeing a long length of wood that could support their decent she turned to him lifting his chin.

"You need to climb down now Daniel." He looked at her and then over the edge and with a small smile he replied in a very young but firm voice "I can do that." Surprisingly confident he put his hands on the edge and looked down; Aveline patted him and looked behind her as the house kept stirring, sending shocks through the balcony that made it teeter this way and that, with an inkling of realisation she stopped , her hand gripped Daniel halting him as he began to swing his leg over. Aveline scanned the walls, looking for signs of similar beams that protruded from the walls. The mortar that held them was not as firm as the rock in high town it crumbled around the beams that supported the upper floors, the beams ran from south wall to north wall, spanning the lengths of the house. The beams that were left seemed to swell with heat, large embers glowed within them. As the balcony began to teeter alarmingly she picked Daniel up under his arm and brought him back toward the wall, the heat was stifling but this distance was necessary.

"I need you to do as I say when I say it Daniel." The balcony groaned behind them "I will." his tone holding the firmness of a man not a boy.

"You will jump and roll to the ground when, and only when I say." Daniel nodded as the beams supporting the balcony to the wall splintered further; Aveline took a long deep breath, the floor snapped free of its moorings and for a brief second it hovered in the air like a felled tree at the mercy of the wind, Aveline focused on its decent and after the moment passed it began its decent forward to the earth below.

"Hold" Aveline said as her feet steadied against the angle, during their downward dive the sounds of warning and people scattering beneath them could be heard and as she saw the blurred shock on their faces she waited for her moment, a heartbeat later she ran forward Daniel with her

"_**NOW**_!" she shouted over the noise of air rushing in her ears and leapt off the stage to roll awkwardly on the earth, the deafening crash behind them sending shocks through the ground.

Tiredly she pushed herself up, her hands thankful of the sand beneath them, with aching muscles she pushed her shoulders up and twisted her head to where her armour had been. White rock and smoulder ash now lay, her armour buried beneath the ruin of Daniels home. Tattered and exhausted she stood, watching as large pieces of roof collapsed under the pressure of itself and began to let her mind drift for a moment, Daniel was safe. She took heart in that small consolation, many of thousands had perished where she had no control, but this one small boy had lived thanks to her, and she found solace in it. Through the sight of ash and destruction she felt the stirring of someone next to her, steady breathing and a familiar smell that she had no energy to welcome

"They don't make 'em how they used to." The voice said

Aveline's eyes sharpened as her senses came to, out of the mental duldrums of her self doubt to the reality of her fears.

"Hawke," she turned her head "Where the hell have you been..."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Aveline turned and gathered herself up, the short rest on the earth had set her overworked muscles into lethargy her feet still unsure on solid ground. Cursing to herself she strained to stand a few feet from Hawke, her dark blue eyes reflected the flickering flames, shaped in the same mirth that had seen her companion through so much.

"We needed you here Hawke."

"You did perfectly well without me." Hawke shrugged, a small grin played at the corners of her mouth as she replied

"Besides I was needed in High town…" Hawke set her back to the ruin and walked up through the streets, "…Come on lets head out of here." Putting her arm under Aveline walked on. "You would have thought Thedas had come to an end… Watch your step … People looting anything not nailed down."

A silence came over them then, the beige rock of crumbling buildings passed them by. The smell of acrid smoke and burning flesh clung to the inside of Aveline's nose. She could feel her forehead grow constricted and unyielding she closed her eyes tightly against it, but the headache was unrelenting. Hawke continued "Some of the older families in High town are still here, Maker knows why. I have spent the last three days protecting them, over paid and under worked that lot."

Aveline remained silent, waiting for the headache to pass

"I had to dissuade those who are taking advantage of this situation, they needed to be taught otherwise, the carta would have been running rampant within days if I hadn't stayed in High town, we needed _you_ with us Aveline."

Her headache hadn't stopped, hadn't eased, only worsened with each word that dripped from Hawkes mouth.

"Don't pretend to be the selfless Guardian Hawke." Aveline snapped, shoving her arm from under her shoulders.

"You were working on the Nobles that are remaining here to gain their support."

"…I…"

"Don't try to deny it." she threw her hands up, her finger pushed out towards Hawkes face "You think you can take control of this city while it's at its weakest, while we are here in the thick of it trying to save it, save the _**people**_ who you would want to rule?"

Hawke raised her hands in a placating gesture "Now Aveline, that's harsh." She interjected

"Not harsh enough." She said flatly glaring at Hawke, turning away from her she could not even look at her. Hawke watched as her oldest friend turned her back on her, realising the truth in Aveline's words, her throat dried and all quick remarks fled her.

The bile grew in the back of Aveline's throat as she thought of Hawkes voice talking lightly, righteously of her _**work **_in High town, picking off criminals that would upset the Nobility, not thinking twice to the hundreds of people still trapped and dying in burning buildings. She nodded to one of her men as he staggered past half saluting, as he carried a body to an area littered with meagre stretchers blood soaked bandages and splints. Where was their supposed Nobility when they were needed most? Noble meant a different thing entirely in her world, not the rotten aristocracy that still lurked in the corners of their fancy homes sipping Aggregio, and patting themselves on the back on not doing a day's work for their money.

She neared the makeshift medical camp, people lain out for treatment, some cried loudly, others lay deathly silent looking out of glassy eyes at nothing. She found Donnic among the injured applying cold cloths to foreheads and although he was limping awkwardly, his clothes stained in blood she hoped was not his own, he helped those trained in basic first aid, applying salves and bandages. Aveline put one arm on his shoulder and he turned to look at her.

"Aveline." He turned and hugged her tightly a small grunt escaped her "You're hurt? Let me see to you." Aveline smiled at her husband warmly "It'd do you no good not to see to your own injuries first Donnic." Her kissed her lightly she guided him to an empty stretcher and laid him down his face twisting as the pain went through him. Aveline got down on one knee and with two hands on his thigh gently pressed down squeezing at the flesh, watching his face she followed the bone down till she found an irregularity. Donnic went a vibrant shade of red, and through reddening eyes and gritted teeth he grunted deep in his chest.

"Broken" Aveline said flatly, a girl who had stopped to watch Aveline as she worked moved off quickly gathering what she could to make a splint for him. Hawke had lingered only for a moment before disappearing out of sight Aveline shook her head _what could be more important than the work that's needed here? _"No more heroics." Aveline chided her husband gently stroking his face, his eyes glazed as the lethargy of shock set in, gathering discarded clothes she piled them under his feet being careful not to jar his broken leg too much. "You too." Donnic said dreamily a small smile playing at the corner of his lips.

Aveline stayed with Donnic for a while longer, seeing to the splints that were being put to his leg, stroking his face as he dozed, her skin prickled down her neck and back. Her ears made her head turn slightly and from the corner of her eye she saw Hawke staring at her. Her strong jaw was set and her eyes didn't quaver.

"Yes Hawke." She said over her shoulder

"My work in High town isn't to lick ass Aveline." Her tone was even and commanding "You may be here in the thick of it, but it needs to be done, I can't be in two places at once. You know what's coming" Aveline's stomach flipped as she thought of all the days she had spent rallying what was left of her men, to save who could be saved.

"You may as well try and stop a hurricane."

"We can't…. The mages left." Hawke quipped, a smile forming in her eyes, not quite reaching her mouth.

"You know exactly what I mean."

"I know... what else can we do here? I am trying to keep people happy and safe as much as I can. We need to be united if, when, the Divine comes here. We need ally's, we need you."

"I'm needed here Hawke your petty politics will have to take a back seat for a change."

"Petty? I would hardly call it petty Aveline; I am trying to defend this god forsaken place. Don't forget it, I would get every ally I could and take back this place if it meant freedom for everyone."

Aveline chewed on what Hawke said, her feet gathered beneath her, with a long breath to calm her thumping heart she stood. Eyes deliberately following the woman she had arrived here with, had on so many occasions turned a blind eye for, never mentioning the questionable decisions she had made till now.

"You would abandon the people here to the mercies of your enemies."

Hawkes shoulders lifted

"If it meant freeing the world from chantry domination, Yes."

Aveline hadn't realised the muscles in her chest had tightened, that her hand had curled into a fist. She had not even felt the impact on her knuckles until her eyes cleared and saw Hawke sprawled ungracefully on the floor one hand covering her jaw.

"Protecting the innocent and preserving their freedoms may not interest _**you**_ but I made an oath, I mean to keep it. Go play dictator if you must, but I'll have no part of it."

Aveline had seen to the wounded as much as she could until her headache had formed into a pounding throb, she walked through the desolated streets. Around every corner she saw a new vista she had not seen before, the mountains that lay behind the forests of outer Kirkwall could be seen over the ruined buildings. Flames burnt on sinking ships half moored and half buried in the seabed, as they had tried floundered.

She had walked for what felt like hours, her feet had found Dark town, her arms resting on the wooden planks that overlooked the water, she listened to the faint echo of water dripping onto abandoned walk ways. She spotted a discarded, half eaten loaf of bread, **_even the rats have left _**she thought to herself.

Tired, aching, head finally easing to a dull twinge; she walked down the hollow boards to the clinic were only sheets, hollow crates and paper was left. She sat on the blood encrusted fabric that was draped over long boxes. She thought for one moment, some epiphany would come to her. Like osmosis she would absorb some truth that would make this madness, manageable. Some truth that might tell her what had gone through his mind to lead him to damning the Kirkwall chantry to oblivion. Her fingers felt the make shift bed and stopped on the roughly hewn pages that had been shoved underneath. Pulling it out it read

**ANDERS MANIFESTO**

**The pursuit of freedom**

She had never read ONE of his manifesto's, nor did she care to, driven half mad by possession and Meredith's fanaticism it would only be a rambling justification for murder and anarchy. Flipping the pages in her hand words jumped out at her.

"Justification" …. "Righteousness." ….. "Freedom" …. "No right to be imprisoned"

All these excuses will be used to interrogate everyone who still called Kirkwall home. A sound like feet scuffing against the earth from the back room alerted her, her head snapped up; one hand on sword hilt. She locked eyes with a young boy, clutching a bundle, his eyes wide. She recognised his face, what was his name? Daniel.

"Daniel." She said coolly, removing her hand from her sword, her eyes moving back to the pages in her hand "You startled me."

"I just… was... looking for supplies." Dubiously she looked up

"Did you find anything?" he lifted his small bundle up "Bring them here will you?" she asked kindly putting the tattered script beside her. He moved quickly to the crate and placed the bundle carefully on the side. Gathered up in tattered potato sack's she lifted its cover off, gently leafing through what Daniel had found she noticed him smile as she picked up a heavy silver chain, it uncoiled to reveal a large pendant that swung gently.

"The Tevinter Chantry." She said softly her eyes watching as it swung

"The only place mages are safe now." Daniel murmured back his eyes lowering to the ground, his feet scuffing the earth.

Aveline only grunted "and no one else." Her eyes readjusted as she looked away from the amulet and onto Daniel. "You must have known Anders if you found your way down here, this is no place for small boys." He fidgeted with his fingers, feet still scuffing the earth gently

"A little." He said into his chest "he helped me and ma out, when ma was sick… he didn't save her though… said the maker had chosen her…" he looked up at her "he had some odd ideas though, I thought he was funny once, he just started to... I dunno ... get mad at the smallest thing I said… I used to help you know… once ma died… not much else I could do..." Daniels eyes became animated as he recounted, Aveline only listened as the boy unravelled in front of her. He relaxed and sat on the floor, telling her about all the small things that had endeared him to Daniel, and had once convinced her Anders had once been her friend too.

"I came into the back room where he sleeps and I could hear another voice in there with him, I'd never heard it before… but I had to look in, I dunno why… Andy was in there, and he looked asleep… but he was talking to himself… in a weird voice." Daniels voice dropped to little more than a whisper and his small eyebrows arched in what Aveline thought to be confusion but could have just as easily been concern, Aveline was unused to the expressions of children.

"Anders was a troubled man Daniel, don't think on him."

Daniel took in a sharp breath, straining to speak through the tears that Aveline could see forming in his eyes. "He was nice to me, took me in, he even said I had the gift once, told me I should be careful… I didn't know what he meant until the house started burning."

Aveline dropped her head and sighed, looking back at him she pitied his self damnation of the burning of his home, the shock of finding himself inside a burning building must have rattled him.

"Daniel, the war between the Templars and the mages spread here, it was them that started the fire… " Aveline lifted Daniels chin to make him meet her gaze "Not you."

Daniel pushed her hand away from him and stood up, "It **_was_** me!" Aveline felt pushed back by his words, so absolute in his belief she waited for his own explanation. "I heard the fighting, I heard the rumour long before the fighting, I hid and I didn't know what else to do." His eyes were spilling over with tears red blotches forming under them. "So I came home, I snuck inside… I waited… I thought if I waited long enough it would be safe to go back to Anders but it never was, when I woke up there was a fire in the room with me, I ran from room to room but the fire kept … just appearing! It wasn't normal fire it was following me!" Aveline looked over Daniels shoulder to smoke that had started to snake up from a pile of papers, small embers forming clean in the centre.

"Excuse me." Calmly she got up and walked over to the page using the flat of her hand to put it out.

"You see!" Daniel cried "I'm not safe anywhere! I don't even know how I am doing it…" Daniel crumpled to the floor sobbing into his chest, Aveline calmly went to him got down and held him tightly, her heart melted as she felt the tears stain her clothes, such a young boy with no one to turn to, he knew what happened to mages especially now. If he had heard the rumors of what Anders had done he would know what was waiting for him here in Kirkwall; a quick death if he was lucky. Anders had taken him in protected him, she had never even seen this young boy before. But then again who takes notice of the little boy carrying linen or washing floors. It wasn't of course Anders fault this young urchin was a mage, as low as Anders could go, he didn't have the power to turn people into mages… grant the gift to anyone, Aveline smiled **_if he could the grand cleric of Kirkwall would be a mage right now _**inwardly chuckling to herself at Anders amusement if he could have done that… rather than destroying the chantry; it would have certainly turned out a lot better for all of them if that were the case. She felt an over protective surge swell in her of this young boy and cradling his head with one hand

"It'll be alright Daniel, I will make sure you are alright, there are still safe places for mages."


End file.
